Grilled Taco Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs
2 limes
splash of red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 t chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper

Instructions
Juice the limes and combine with a couple of splashes of vinegar. Add garlic and pour over the chicken.
Turn occasionally and let marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.
Combine salt, chili powder, and pepper in a small bowl.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and rub the spices all over the chicken.
Grill and enjoy!

Mississippi Pot Roast Dip

16 oz. sour cream
1/2 C mayo
1 pkg. au jus mix
1 pkg. ranch seasoning
3/4 C chopped pepperocini peppers
3 T brine from pepperocinis

Instructions
Combine everything, mix well, enjoy!

Grinder Salad Sandwiches

1/2 C mayo
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t salt
pepper to taste
1 t oregano
1 t Italian seasoning
1 t garlic powder
1/3 C pepperocinis, drained
1/3 C shredded Parmesan cheese
8 oz shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
sandwich bread (day old from Jimmy Johns is great)
ham
salami
pepperoni
provolone cheese
tomato

Instructions
In a large bowl mix together mayo, vinegar, and seasonings; stir well.
Add pepperocinis, Parmesan, onion, and lettuce; mix well.
Let that sit while the oven preheats to 400.
Lay out bread and add a couple of slices of provolone to each one.
Top with the meat of your choice; bake for a few minutes until the cheese is melted.
Top with more Parmesan if you like, then top with sliced tomatoes, salt and pepper, and salad mixture.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

1/2 T butter
1/2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced (I remove the seeds & ribs)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3.5-4 C salsa verde
1 C sour cream
juice from 1 lime
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
4 oz. monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 oz. white chedder cheese, shredded
flour tortillas

Instructions
In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeno, followed by salt, pepper, and cumin.
Saute for 5-6 minutes, then add in garlic. Cook for another minute.
Stir in the salsa, sour cream, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Remove one cup of sauce and set aside.
Add in the chicken and half the shredded cheese. Stir until combined.
In a 9x13 pan, spread a light layer of the sauce.
Place the chicken mixture along the center of each tortilla, roll, and place in the pan.
Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

Green Onion Cheese Ball

4 pk. cream cheese
2 T sour cream
1 C mayonnaise
1/4 t dried dill
1/4 t celery salt
1/4 t onion salt
1/4 t garlic powder
3 T chopped green onion
5 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions
Add cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, and spices to a mixing bowl; mix well. Add green onion and cheddar cheese, mix by hand.
Garnish with the chopped green onion tops. Refridgerate for an hour before serving.

French Lemon Cream Tart

Sweet Shortcrust Tart Shell, baked
1 C sugar
3 T lemon zest
4 large eggs
3/4 C lemon juice
1 C + 5 T unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 20 pieces
apricot jam
berries

Instructions
Add sugar and zest to a large bowl and use your fingers to rub in the zest. Add the eggs and lemon juice; whisk to combine and add to a large pot.
Over low to medium heat, cook the filling. Be sure to keep the heat low so as to not burn the filling. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 180 degrees.
Take off the heat and pour through a seive into a clean bowl; cool for 15 minutes.
Pour cooled filling into a food processor. Turn it on and slowly add the butter, 5 pieces at a time; let it run for a minute or two before adding more butter.
When all the butter has been added, let it run for another 5 minutes to create the creamy texture. Pour the filling into a clean container and press a piece of plastic on top to keep a skin from forming. Let it chill for at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days.
Whisk the cream before adding to the shell. Press another piece of plastic on top to keep a skin from forming; chill for at least half an hour and no more than 5 hours.
Top with berries and glaze with slightly warm apricot jam.
It's best to assemble this the day you're going to servce it; the cream will soften the crust.

Smoked Pulled Pork

Sweet Rub
¼ C dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder

Combine all of the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl. Stir well to combine, using a fork to break up any clumps.

8-10 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast (or Boston butt)
2-3 T yellow mustard
¼ C Sweet Rub

Preheat.
Set the smoker at 225 degrees F.
Liberally coat the pork shoulder with mustard.Season on all sides with the sweet rub. Once the pork has been prepped, place it directly on the grill grates of the smoker, fat side up.
Close the lid, and smoke for 15-20 hours, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 195-201 degrees F.
Once your pork has reached temperature, remove it from the smoker, and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. Allow the roast to rest for at least an hour.
Remove the bone, discard any icky bits, shred and serve.

Pâte Sucrée: Sweet, Buttery Tart Dough

1 T + 2 t heavy whipping cream
1 large egg yolk
1 t vanilla
1¼ C (156 grams) plain flour
2/3 C (80 grams) powdered sugar
¼ t salt
½ C butter, cold; cut into 12 chunks

Instructions
Mix together the egg yolk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Set that aside.
In a large bowl or food processor add the flour, sugar, and salt, process until just combined, about 10 seconds.
Add the cold butter chunks and pulse on high 10-15 times- you will have a crumbly texture with some chunks of butter.
If mixing by hand use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until a coarse meal is formed. Don't overmix it you want small chunks of butter left.
Gently stream in the cream/ egg mixture. If using a food processor the dough, will lump up into a ball, turn off, do not over mix.
It does not need to be one cohesive ball as soon as you tip it out of the bowl you can gently press the dough together to form one cohesive ball.

Place tart dough onto a clean surface and pat into a 6 inch round disc. Work quickly, you don't want to spend too much time working with the dough as the warmth of your hands can melt the butter.
Wrap the dough disc tightly in plastic wrap and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 4 days.
Once the dough has chilled for 30 minutes (if it is in the fridge for more than 30 minutes let the dough sit out to soften a bit before rolling out)

Place it on a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to gently and evenly roll the dough to 1/8" inch thick.
Making sure to turn the dough multiple times to ensure an even dough. Gently roll the dough onto the rolling pin and slide the tart tin underneath the roll the dough onto the tart tin.
Gently use your fingers to press the dough into the mold- if it cracks a little don't worry just press it back together.
Use a knife to cut off the excess dough leaving a 1-inch lip around. Use a rolling pin to roll on top of the tart tin to remove any excess dough and use a knife to trim any specific areas.
Use a fork to prick the crust all over then place it in the freezer for 30 minutes or up to two days (if freezing for longer than 30 minutes wrap the tin in plastic wrap).
It is important for the dough to be ice cold when it goes into the oven.

When ready to bake preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly spray a piece of foil with non-stick cooking spray and gently press against the tart- greased side down. Fill with dry beans, rice, or pie weights.
Place the cold tart tin on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes then gently remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Gently place the tart tin on a wire rack to cool completely before using.

Notes
The tart shell can be baked and cooled then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days before using, although I prefer to use it fresh. My ideal way would be to prepare the tart dough until just before baking and leave it in the freeze then bake.

Marry Me Chicken Soup

½ C sundried tomatoes, julienne cut, packed in oil
1 T oil from the sundried tomatoes
1½ C onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
3 T tomato paste
8 C chicken broth
1 C heavy cream
4 t fresh basil, chopped
2 t kosher salt
1½ t Italian seasoning
1 t garlic powder
¼ t crushed red pepper, if you like heat
8 oz uncooked medium pasta, something like rotini, macaroni, or shell
3 C baby spinach, roughly chopped
2 C shredded rotisserie chicken
8 oz cream cheese, cubed
1½ oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus more for garnish

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook 3-4 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and sundried tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste deepens in color.
Pour in the chicken broth, cream, basil, salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper. Bring to a gentl boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Let simmer for 12 minutes.
Add the pasta, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for another 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
Lower the heat to low, stir in the spinach, chicken, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Stir often for 5 minutes until the cheeses are melted and the chicken is warmed through.

Grilled Taco Chicken

1 pound chicken breasts or thighs
2 limes
A splash of red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Juice the limes and combine with a couple splashes of red wine vinegar. Add garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed.
Marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.
Heat an outdoor grill (you can also use a grill pan inside. Or your broiler in your oven.)
Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Remove chicken from marinade and rub the spices all over the chicken.
Place chicken on lightly oiled grill over medium heat and close the lid. Cook for 7 minutes, then flip the chicken, close the lid, and cook for another 7 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Remove from the grill, lightly cover with foil, and allow to stand a few minutes so it doesn’t lose its juiciness.
You can either eat the chicken as it is, maybe with Mexican rice and beans, or use slice it up and use it as you would taco meat.

Lime Shortbread Cookies

Cookies
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (85 g) confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt

Icing
2 ½ tablespoons (35 g) lime juice
1 cup (113 g) confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon lime zest

Instructions
In a bowl, add butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and lime zest and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl, sift (or whisk) together flour and salt.
Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and mix until a dough forms.
Dough may look crumbly, but will hold together when pinched between two fingers.
Shape into a long, round tube about 2 inches thick and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Remove dough from refrigerator and unwrap. Using a sharp knife, slice dough into ¼ inch slices and place on lined baking sheet.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until cookies barely begin to brown around edges.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
While cookies are cooling, add confectioner's sugar, lime juice, and lime zest to a bowl. Stir to combine. If too thick, add another splash of lime juice.
Once cookies have cooled completely, use a knife to ice each cookie with a thin layer of icing. Allow to dry at room temperature until icing has set.

Chicken Salad

2 large stalks celery
½ medium red onion
½ cup seedless red grapes
½ medium lemon
4 sprigs fresh dill
1 pound shredded, cooked chicken (about 3 cups)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon celery seeds or celery salt
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Dice celery and red onion.
Quarter red grapes, zest the lemon and then juice it.
Pick the fronds from 4 fresh dill sprigs and coarsely chop.
Add chicken, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and celery seeds.
Stir until evenly combined.
Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper as needed.
Measure with your heart on all ingredients!

Lemon Tiramisu

This lemon tiramisu is tangy, zesty, creamy, and the perfect make ahead dessert; it needs to chill for 8 hours or overnight to set.
Lemon Curd
4 large egg yolks
4 large eggs
¼ t sea salt
1 ¼ C granulated sugar
2 lemons, zested
2/3 C lemon juice, freshly squeezed (from about 2-3 lemons)
½ C unsalted butter

Lemon Syrup (see notes)
½ C water
¼ C granulated sugar
1 lemon, peeled and juiced
1 sprig basil, optional

Filling
1 ½ C heavy whipping cream, cold
1 ½ C lemon curd, about half of the prepared
1 lb mascarpone cheese, room temperature

Assembly
2 packs ladyfingers
lemon slices for decorating

In a medium saucepan, combine egg yolks, whole eggs, salt, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Whisk to combine.
Heat on medium heat, whisking or stirring constantly. Let the lemon curd come to a simmer and thicken - approximately one minute after simmering.
Once thickened, strain the curd through a wire strainer or cheesecloth to remove the zest and any lumps. Transfer to a non-metal heat safe bowl. Add butter to the curd and let sit for a minute to melt. Stir until fully melted and smooth.
Cover with a piece of parchment paper or wrap placed directly on the surface and refrigerate until cold and thickened.

While the lemon curd chills, prepare the lemon syrup. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice, peeled lemon zest, and basil (optional).
Bring to a simmer on medium heat and let cool. Once cooled, strain out the lemon peels and set aside in a bowl for later.

Chill your mixing bowl and whisk in the freezer for 5 minutes. Pour heavy whipping cream into the chilled mixing bowl and whip to stiff peaks.
In a large bowl, combine half of the cooled lemon curd (set aside the other half in the fridge) and all of the mascarpone cheese. Whisk until fully combined and smooth. Do not overmix or the mascarpone will become gritty.
Add whipped cream into the lemon curd mixture. Gently fold with a whisk or spatula to combine, being careful not to deflate the whipped cream.

Assembly
Have a 9"x13" casserole dish ready.
Briefly dip ladyfingers into the lemon syrup one at a time, placing them in tight rows inside the baking dish.
Add half the filling on top, spreading all the way to the edges.
Dip ladyfingers into the syrup one by one and place in a single layer on top of the filling.
Add the rest of the filling on top of the second layer of ladyfingers. Spread it out all the way to the edge of the dish. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Before serving, top with remaining lemon curd and spread all the way to the edges. Slice or scoop with a spatula and serve. Add lemon slices and serve.

Carrot Cake with Candied Pecans

For the cake
2 C white sugar
1.5 C vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 T cinnamon
2 t baking soda
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t ginger
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
2 C all-purpose flour
3 C grated carrots
3/4 C diced pecans, toasted
1/2 c crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 C shredded coconut


For the candied pecans
1 egg white (reserve the yolk for the butterscotch)
2 C diced pecans
1/4 C white sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t kosher salt


For the butterscotch
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C heavy cream
1 egg yolk
1 T butter
1 t vanilla
pinch of kosher salt


For the cream cheese frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 C butter, room temperature
3 C powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
pinch of kosher salt


Instructions
Make the cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan (13x18) with parchment paper, creasing the edges so that it fits neatly in the pan.
Whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, baking soda, salt and spices.
Stir in the flour, then fold in the carrots, nuts, pineapple and coconut. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 28-33 minutes, using a toothpick or skewer to test for doneness (skewer should be clean or with a few moist crumbs). Let cake cool completely in pan.
Make the candied pecans
Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
Give the egg white a whisk until slightly foamy, then toss with the pecans in a small bowl until fully coated.
Add the sugars, cinnamon and salt and mix until fully coated.
Spread out on prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes.
Pecans should look brown, crisp and smell amazing. They'll crisp up further as they cool—let cool completely before using.

Make the butterscotch
Whisk together the egg yolk, cream and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
Let boil for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened and bubbling.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla and salt. Let cool completely before using.

Make the cream cheese frosting
Cream the cream cheese and butter together just until smooth.
Gradually add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating until just incorporated. Beat in the salt and vanilla, then beat on medium high for 1-2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy.
If you prefer a stiffer, sweeter frosting, you can increase to 4 cups of sugar. If you prefer a thinner frosting, add a tablespoon or two of milk.

To assemble
Cut the cooled cake in half lengthwise, then widthwise for 4 rectangular pieces of cake.
Working with one piece of cake at a time, layer with cream cheese frosting, then an even layer of around 1/4 of the pecans followed by a generous drizzle of butterscotch.
Repeat with the remaining layers of cake, filling in any drooping edges with extra nuts.
Serve slices drizzled with any leftover butterscotch and pecans.

Notes
Carrot cake base adapted from King Arthur.
Cream cheese frosting from Sally's Baking Addiction.
For 9" pans: You can divide the batter into 2 9" cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

1 pound of bacon of bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 T butter
3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 green onions, chopped (separate whites and greens)
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Celery salt
Paprika
Salt & Pepper to taste
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 C flour
3 C water
2 C milk
A heaping soup spoon of chicken Better Than Boullion
4-6 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 C heavy cream
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Fry the bacon and remove from the pan.
Saute the onions and celery in the bacon grease, add the whites of the green onions.
Add in butter,and then seasonings to your taste; measure with your heart.
Add the minced garlic and flour; stir and cook for a few minutes.
Stir in the water, milk, and boullion stir, then add in the potatoes and cook until done.
Stir in the cream, half the bacon, and shredded cheese; cook until the cheese is melted. Serve with bacon, cheese, and the green onions.